This invention relates to a module for quickly and easily connecting and disconnecting electrical wires, for example in communications equipment. While the invention may have other uses, the description will be facilitated by specific reference to use of the invention in a telephone station protector module.
More particularly, the described embodiment provides a protector module which includes tool-less wire termination to insulation displacement connectors (IDC's). This module further provides for termination of a plurality of wires of one range of sizes and at least one wire of a different range of sizes to a plurality of electrically interconnected IDC's. Preferably, these tool-less connections are accomplished by means which act independently of one another such that a wire may be connected to or removed from one of the IDC's without disturbing any of the other IDC's or wires connected thereto. The described module also includes means for housing a surge protector, such as an overvoltage arrester, and for electrically coupling the protector in circuit for providing overvoltage protection for wires terminated at the IDC's. Moreover, the described protector module is configured for providing environmental sealing of the IDC terminations. Other features will be appreciated upon reading the ensuing description.
Generally speaking, telephone station protector modules have heretofore utilized stud and nut type wire terminations to couple respective tip (T) and ring (R) lines of an incoming line pair from the telephone company's central office to a subscriber's line. This typical protector module generally comprises a nonconductive or plastic housing which houses a line protector device such as a gas tube over-voltage arrester. A pair of threaded studs project from the housing and are coupled within the housing to respective ends of the gas tube arrester. The gas tube arrester has a center ground terminal such that an over-voltage condition at either of the stud terminals will be shunted to ground across one side of the gas tube. The two stud terminals are often exposed and have respective central office and subscriber line pairs coupled thereto by means of mating nuts. One such station protector is known as the model R356 station protector available from Reliance Comm/Tec Corporation, 11333 Addison Street, Franklin Park, Ill.
In connector blocks, insulation displacement connectors (IDC's) are often utilized. Often, these blocks are of a form which requires use of a special tool to terminate the incoming line and the subscriber line thereto. One type of connector block utilizing such IDC's also utilizes a screw-driven actuator to drive respective wires into the IDC's. That is, the actuator is mounted to a screw type fastener which in turn may be driven by a suitable mating tool to drive the wires into the IDC.
Connector blocks have also heretofore been provided which make use of tool-less termination to IDC's. One such insulation displacement connector terminal block is shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,070. In this patent, a terminal block cooperates with a movable actuator to achieve termination of wires to the IDC's carried in the block. Generally speaking, the actuators are movable between a first or retracted position for receiving wires and a second or advanced position for terminating the wires with respect to the IDC's. However, the connector block shown in this patent does not provide line protectors, but only termination and/or connection points for telecommunications lines.
The copending (and commonly owned herewith) application of Suffi, Ser. No. 08/127,895, filed Sep. 28, 1993 shows an IDC terminal block of a type similar that of the above-discussed '070 patent and further including protector elements for providing overvoltage protection for the lines terminated or connected thereat.
An environmentally sealed terminal block is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,440 which is commonly owned herewith. However, this patent employs a threaded or screw-driven type of actuator which requires engagement by a tool for operation in terminating wires to IDC's in the block. This patent further provides for termination of one each of wires of two different wire gages or sizes to each of a pair of somewhat differently sized or configured IDC's on a common base.